“Voices of leadership, Voices of change.”
Hinurewa te Hau, MPhil
Hinurewa is a Māori cultural and economic development leader who turns big ideas into enduring platforms. She co-founded Matariki Cultural Foundation with the late George Te Aroha Kahi and, in 2018, established the WOMEX Pan-Indigenous Network, connecting voices from more than 34 countries. A former General Manager of Creative Northland, she has worked across public policy, tourism, workforce development and the arts. In 2019, she joined the WOMEX Conference jury in Berlin. She now chairs The Kauri Museum, named Museum of the Year at the 2026 New Zealand Prestige Awards. Hinu sees the whole landscape,
then brings the right people together to change it.
Posenai “Pos” Mavaega MNZM
“Pos” is a Samoan musician, writer, producer and music director whose career spans more than four decades.
A central figure in Pacific Underground since 1993, Pos has shaped landmark theatre productions, recordings, festivals and mentoring programmes across Aotearoa and the Pacific. He has worked with artists including Che Fu, King Kapisi, Ladi6, Scribe and Fat Freddy’s Drop. Pos received a FAME Mid-Career Award in 2024 and,
in 2026, became the first musician selected for the University of Canterbury’s Pacific Artist in Residence programme. His work carries Pacific stories through music, theatre and community.
Pulotu Siteine Peta Si’ulepa
Peta is a Samoan festival director, producer, businesswoman and governance leader working across Samoa, American Samoa and Aotearoa. She founded the Samoana Jazz and Arts Festival in 2014 to elevate Pacific jazz, bring leading Samoan musicians home and connect the two Samoas through music, arts and cultural exchange. Her work earned international recognition, including an invitation to participate in the UNESCO International Jazz Day celebration panel in Melbourne. Peta is also co-owner of FADEZIGN, an architectural design, contracting and consultancy business in American Samoa. She brings strategic leadership, cultural commitment and enduring Pacific relationships to every kaupapa.
The Legacy of George Te Aroha Kahi.
“Honoring the past, shaping the future.”
George Te Aroha Kahi was a cultural activist and visionary whose life’s work championed Māori Music in te reo Māori, Indigenous rights, and pathways for rangatahi. He initiated our Māori youth participation at Ethno Sweden (2017/18). MCF continues its vision through sponsorship of Ethno NZ (2021–24).
George passed in 2020. His kaupapa lives on in MCF’s work: preserving language, advancing Indigenous rights, and creating pathways into world music.
Moe mai rā.